Joshua started on a slow pace, getting caught with a hook on the nose by the challenger in the first round. He however came back in the third, inflicting a cut across the left-eye of the 39-year-old then picked up in the fourth and fifth.

And it was a series of accurate combinations which did it in the seventh round, first with an overhand right and then some big lefts.

The victory makes it 22 unbeaten professional fights for the Nigerian-born boxer, who will most likely face Deontay Wilder or Tyson Fury next.

“Povetkin is a very tough challenger, he proved that tonight with good left hooks and counter punches,” he said.